Spring Quilts and Sparrows

 

Good morning, friends! Welcome to the final week or so of April.  Mornings are the warmest time of day here during the Spring---the wind usually dies off at dawn and on the sheltered sunny deck Mo and I can sit outside enjoying the fresh air for half an hour or so most days. The other day I watched a pair of sparrows busily building a nest in my neighbors' eaves. [internet photo below]

The people are still away for the winter and and the birds are attracted to the silent yard. That morning Mr Sparrow had found a very large white seagull feather, which he carried back and forth--- offering it again and again to the sweet little grey Mrs. She was NOT impressed. He finally disappeared into his construction site, feather in beak, no doubt utilizing his prize despite her opinions. I watered the pansies, the dogwalker arrived and our little drama ended there. I hope the Sparrows have a sweet little family soon.

This year on Instagram, many of the big name quilt dealers have been featuring ''feedsack''/  more likely apron-housedress-playsuit tiny prints. This one caught my eye: [not my photo]. I think the dealer said more than 5000 pieces.

I love the pastel early 20th century quilts , tho I admit I detest the hexagon Grandma's Flower Garden quilts. So this year as I enjoy my touches of daffodil yellow in the house, I was motivated to get out some pastel/ vintage quilts of my own.

This is a Trip Around the World.

My dad bought it at an auction for 30.oo,  years ago, as a young man. It spent many years gracing the guest room of the family home in Cape Cod, now belongs to me.

Entirely hand pieced, hand quilted, tiny rainbow of squares less than 7/8" though that varies w hand piecing. The coin is a US penny. As I recall the layout is 90 x 90 tiny squares, or 8100 total!

The fabric selection is fabulous, beyond what I can imagine a woman owning. Hundreds of different prints---that'd be a lot of chicken feed! Perhaps a kit? Or factory offcuts via Sears catalog, c.1930?

There are NO repeated lines of print patterns, so the green might be 9 different green fabrics, then if green repeats in the rainbow, maybe six or eight more fabrics were used! And so on for all the colors.

The occasional dark line of squares adds shape and structure.

I used to lie on the guest bed studying the fabrics, while my toddlers napped nearby.

And I also got out my Sunflower quilt.

This is the first quilt I bought to collect [as opposed to being an inherited family quilt, of which there were quite a few]. Wellfleet Flea Market, so many many years ago now. This design is usually listed as 1930-40, though as I recall my original research it is a Mountain Mist design c.1911. It has just the faintest Art Deco feel to substantiate that idea.

It is beautifully made, all hand applique and hand quilted.

Has the oddest border treatment, what looks like it could have been a repair as both front and back are added on and pieced onto the central flower bed. BUT the butterscotch fabric is used  in the sunflowers' petals sometimes; and the binding fabric is the same as the flowers' centers. Maybe the maker decided they wanted a bigger quilt, it is quite large? A mystery.

Sadly despite careful storage, annual refolding, and best care I could give, I now notice some fading and shredding of the 100 year old fabric in both quilts. Tomorrow I plan to store them again while I think about protecting from further loss.

I had planned to sell the Sunflower quilt, or donate it to a seller who uses a % of the proceeds of her sales for women's charities. But the newly noticed condition precludes that idea.

Sad, but they are to me, still beautiful, worthy of being loved.

.... 

On the menu earlier this week: Pasta  Carbonara:  coronettas and baby artichokes with a light sauce of garlic, lemon juice and the lemons' zest. [black pepper, garlic, parm, 1 egg, a bit of half and half for the sauce, toss with hot drained pasta.] The house smelled fabulous. You could use fresh asparagus, baby arugula, or tiny spring peas instead of the arts. Bacon?

Perfect for a cold windy night.

Yes cold here by the ocean when the wind picks up by noon. I thought to celebrate spring by removing the faux fur trim on y parka hood, it zips off. But no. bbbbrrrr.

Have a good week.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

Mo annd I are still seeing Oystercatchers in small circling flocks, four, five, six at a time Young ones looking for mates and breeding space? I don't recall seeing this behavior previously. I hope they aren't being frightened by the sand grooming trucks.

Older established pair, mating show